


The Prom Debacle (That Turned Out Alright)

by Larry_Klaine_Stylinson



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - High School, Angst, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Light Smut, M/M, Mentions of Harry/Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-01
Updated: 2013-04-01
Packaged: 2017-12-07 04:11:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,833
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/744080
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Larry_Klaine_Stylinson/pseuds/Larry_Klaine_Stylinson
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The school introduces a new prom system, having students fill out a questionnaire, and pairing them with dates. But when Harry and Louis, two heterosexual males, are paired together, things don't go quite as either of them had planned.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Prom Debacle (That Turned Out Alright)

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written as a prompt fill on Tumblr.

The head teacher had just come over the loud speaker to make a bit of an announcement about the upcoming prom. It was only a month away, and apparently there was to be a new system for finding dates to prevent anyone from going alone, and to stop any big fights from breaking out. Apparently there had been quite a few in past years, one last year, in particular, which had ended with a girl's head being shoved into the toilet and she'd ended up swallowing a bit too much of the water and had nearly died, but no one really liked to talk about it. Harry had found it tragic, but also a little hilarious, and who could blame him, really? Who ever heard of death by toilet?

Anyhow, that was apparently the reason for the new prom date system, which involved filling out a questionnaire on the school's computer. The results would be tallied up, and the name of your date would be sent to your school email. Harry had someone in mind, but he decided he wasn't going to tailor his answers to what he thought would attract her. Because, really, he didn't know too much about her.

Harry had heard a few people around him groan at the idea of having a date assigned to them. He assumed it was the students who had boyfriends or girlfriends or who had already set up dates. Harry, however, didn't mind. He thought it might be nice. He could get anyone he wanted, really, but this way he didn't have to worry about choosing. A date would be handed to him, and all he'd have to do was charm her and maybe convince her to get a hotel room with him for the night and that would be that. No worrying about taking the time to ask someone. A date would just be provided. Quite convenient, really.

So, during his lunch period Harry hauled himself off to the computer lab, going where they'd instructed the students to go and filling out the questionnaire. Harry bit his lip as he typed away at his answers, hoping with all his heart that he would be paired with the one person he truly wanted, but knowing he wouldn't be too heartbroken if he wasn't. It's not like he was ready to settle down or anything yet. He'd be going off to Uni next year. All he really needed was a short term relationship with someone who was down for a shag most of the time and he'd be fine.

As he moved through the questions he began to wonder a bit how his favorite color or what he liked on his sandwiches mattered when it came to finding a prom date, but he'd just leave that up to the school. If they thought it was vital information then so be it.

He finished filling everything out and the computer popped up a message telling him that he would be given the name of his prom date over the weekend, everyone getting the whole week to fill the thing out, and Harry figured that was smart, because some of the kids in this damn school were lazy as hell.

He picked up his rucksack and headed to his next class.

000

It was late Saturday night and the school still hadn't emailed him about his date for prom. He was getting antsy. It really didn't matter who it was at this point, he just wanted to know who it was, goddammit.

He was refreshing his email repeatedly, tapping his foot in annoyance, when finally it popped up. The email from the school.

He clicked on it and scanned the page, looking for the name. He could read the rest of the email later, he just needed the name.

But as he scanned the words on the page, he didn't see the name he wanted, nor any other name, for that matter.

Aside from one.

Louis Tomlinson.

Now, Harry and Louis weren't friends. They didn't travel in the same social circle. But Harry knew enough to know that Louis was most definitely a man. He was a boy. A lad. He had a dick. He had a dick and he definitely was not Caroline Flack, and Harry found that he was much more upset about the fact that he hadn't gotten her than he'd expected to be. Though maybe that was just because he'd been paired with a bloke. He couldn't take a guy to prom. He was very straight and very out of Louis' league, if he was being honest, and he very much was hoping to shag Caroline. So yeah. Basically, this sucked.

He'd just have to talk to the head on Monday. Get this all straightened out.

He wasn't gay.

000

Monday rolled around and Harry tapped his pencil on his desk through every class, still paying attention, as he didn't want to fail, but trying to work out what to say to the head when he spoke with her later. He wanted to be his charming, well mannered self, but he also needed to get the point across. He wasn't going to prom with Louis.

After the final bell rang, he ran down to the head's office, knocking on the door.

"Come in!" She called.

"Hello, Mrs. Hemmings. Looking lovely today." He smiled.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Styles. What can I do for you?"

"Well, you see." Harry began, pulling at the strap of his bag over his shoulder. "I've been paired with Louis Tomlinson for prom, but the issue here is that I'm not gay. Not even questioning it in the slightest, I am one hundred percent a fan of v-...Girls." Good one, Harry. Let's say vagina in front of the head. Great way to stay on her good side. "So I was wondering if there was a chance I could switch?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Styles. Everyone's already taken, and we're not allowing any switches. The point of all this was to prevent fights. If I let you switch, then everyone would want to switch, and this would have been a waste of my time. Do you understand that?"

"Yes, ma'am." Harry nodded. "But isn't this a little different? I'm not gay, Louis' not gay from what I know. Seems a bit silly for two heterosexual blokes to spend prom night together, yeah?"

"I do agree it's inconvenient, but there's nothing I can do. I'm sorry." She said. "If you'll be on your way, I have a bit of work to finish up and I need to get home."

"Right." Harry nodded. "Thanks anyway, then."

He turned and exited her office, running straight into Louis on his way out.

"Well, if it isn't my fucking prom date." He muttered.

"Not for long. I'm on my way to-"

"Don't waste your time. Mrs. Hemmings says no trades."

"But I'm not gay, dammit." Louis wailed, throwing his hands up in exasperation.

"Neither am I." Harry said. "Guess I'll just ditch. Go to a club or something."

"Oh no you don't." Louis said. "I'm going to Uni next year, and I'd like to enjoy my prom. So you're going to come along with me, because I can't go without you, Styles."

"Fine, whatever." Harry said, readjusting the strap of his bag on his shoulder.

"Was hoping I'd get Eleanor Calder." Louis muttered.

Harry scoffed, "Eleanor? Bit homely, isn't she?"

"I think she's right fit." Louis snapped. "Who were you hoping for then?"

"Caroline, obviously."

"Flack?"

"The very same."

"Out of your league, mate." Louis told him.

Harry then realized that this was the first conversation he'd ever had with the shorter boy.

They were both popular, in their own right, but they ran with very different crowds.

Louis was a jock. Star football player, had dated a few cheerleaders during their time at school, if Harry was remembering correctly. His friends were mostly idiots, though Harry wasn't going to pass judgement on him before getting to know him.

Then there was Harry. He was a bit more intellectual, though obviously not a nerd. He was smart enough to be a nerd, sure. But when one had the choice between being a nerd and being a popular yet intellectual lad who got invited to a lot of parties, well, the decision was simple. He was the kind of guy who had the brains and the charm to walk up to absolutely any girl at any party anywhere, chat her up a bit, and have her on her knees in a back room somewhere in mere minutes. Which was, quite honestly, how he spent most of his weekends.

Any girl except Caroline Flack, that is. She was the only girl in the whole school that Harry wanted to hook up with that he hadn't been able to get to yet.

She ran in a completely different, yet also popular, group. Different from both Harry and Louis', seeing as it was all girls. All girls who walked down the hall, swaying their hips in their stupidly short skirts and giving Harry way too many ideas. He'd gotten with a couple girls from Caroline's group, which means she must know how great he is with his hands, because they're teenage girls, and what else do they talk about? And yet she still dodged all of Harry's advances. That's why he'd been hoping to get her as his date for prom. She'd have no chance of escaping him that way. She'd have to speak with him, and then she'd see what she was missing out on.

Maybe Louis was right, though. Maybe Caroline was out of his league. Only girl who ever would be, Harry thought. But maybe she was.

Harry shrugged, "Maybe she is. I'll get her anyway, though."

"Don't be so sure. She's just recently gotten a boyfriend, mate. Don't you pay attention?"

"Whatever." Harry brushed it off. "We're young. They'll be finished in a week or two."

"Whatever you say, Styles." Louis sighed, brushing his fringe out of his eyes. "Say, give me your phone number so I can text you about prom shit, yeah?"

"Yeah, sure." Harry muttered, pulling out his phone and exchanging numbers with Louis.

"I'll text you later, then." Louis said, turning around and walking towards the front doors of the school.

And if Harry's eyes dropped to his ass and lingered there for a bit, Harry was sure that it was an accident.

000

Harry was working on his homework that night when his phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out seeing the name "Louis Tomlinson" lighting up the screen and opened the message.

To Harry: Styles?

To Louis: Yes?

To Harry: Just checking to make sure you hadn't given me a fake number.

To Louis: Okay.

He went back to his homework, but there was a small part of his brain that was rather annoyed that Louis didn't text back. Only because it was rude, obviously. What other reason could there be?

000

They texted a bit throughout the week, just getting to know each other a little better since they were going to be spending one of the most important nights of their teenage lives together. Harry found out that Louis preferred The Fray to Coldplay, to which he had scoffed out loud and replied with a little sad face, and Louis had told him to stop being an idiot and that Coldplay was fine, but really, how could anyone prefer them when they could be listening to The Fray.

Harry may have stopped texting him for a few hours after that.

He also found out that Louis was rather funny, and that Louis seemed to find him funny even though he knew quite well that he wasn't. He also found out that Louis was a terrible cook and was failing Maths and that he had four little sisters. Harry told Louis about how he loved to cook, and that he had one big sister who was already off at Uni. The two talked easily, really, and Harry decided that they'd be good friends. He almost wished he and Louis had talked sooner. He was quite easy to get on with.

On Saturday morning, his phone went off with a new text, and he scrambled to grab it, hoping it was Louis.

Only because there was a lot they still needed to decide on before prom, obviously.

To Harry: Come to the shops with me tonight?

Harry looked at the message, humming softly in thought. He had a party he was supposed to be going to. A party that Caroline would be at, and he could try once more to charm her with his bright, dimpled smile.

But if he was being honest, the idea of going to the shops with Louis sounded rather nice.

To Louis: Sure. What time?

To Harry: I'll pick you up at six? We can grab dinner in the food court and then get our outfits for prom. It's just two weekends away, you know?

Harry hadn't even thought about an outfit. Were they supposed to match? Was Louis going to force him into a suit? He hated suits.

To Louis: Sounds brilliant.

To Harry: See you then, Harry. ;)

Harry looked at the little winky face, assuring himself that it had been a typo. Louis had meant to put a little smiley but slipped just a bit and put a wink. Happened to him all the time.

So why was his stomach twisting up?

000

The doorbell rang at six sharp, and Harry ran down the steps, flinging it open.

"Hey." Louis smiled at him.

"Hey there." Harry said as he shoved his feet into his shoes. "Let's go."

He followed Louis out to his car and took a moment to admire how nice it was. Quite new, very shiny. Yeah. It was nice.

It smelled nice as well, Harry thought as he climbed in.

"Nice car." He said, and Louis simply smiled at him before starting it up and revving the engine for a moment before speeding off.

They hopped out of the car, and Harry fixed his hair a bit. And if he'd taken a little extra time picking out an outfit today it was simply because there were often a lot of very fit girls at the shops and maybe he'd be able to get a number or two if he looked nice.

It wasn't like he was trying to impress Louis or anything.

That would be ridiculous.

They went in and headed straight for the food court, Louis insisting upon buying, and Harry looking at him quizzically, because why did this feel sort of like a date?

They sat down, Harry picking up his slice of pizza that was nearly the size of his head and taking a large bite.

And no, this wasn't a date. He wouldn't eat like this on a date. When he went on dates he ate carefully. Politely. He didn't want a girl to see him stuffing his face full of cheese and crust, smearing grease along his chin. No thank you.

"So, I was thinking we'll eat this food and then we'll go look at suits, yeah?" Louis suggested.

Harry groaned, "You're forcing me into one of those?"

"Obviously." Louis said, rolling his eyes. "It's prom."

"I've never worn a suit in my life."

"This is why Caroline won't shag you, Harry."

"Because I don't wear suits?"

"Because you're not classy." Louis said. "Look at the way you eat. You've finished your pizza already."

"I don't eat like this in front of the ladies, Tomlinson." Harry argued.

"Sure you don't. But it's not like they can't see you when you're out with friends. I'm always on my best behavior."

Harry watched as Louis took a careful bite of his Chinese food, and if Harry didn't know any better, he'd say the blue eyed boy was trying to be...Sensual?

But that was silly. No one could be sensual while eating Chinese food. It just wasn't one of those things that you could make sexy.

But then Louis slowly slurped a noodle into his mouth, and yeah, Harry thought. Maybe Chinese food could look sexy.

If Louis were a girl, obviously.

Harry shook his head a bit, trying to focus on the task at hand.

"I don't want to wear a fucking suit, Louis."

"Oh, shut up." Louis said. "You'd look right fit in a suit."

Harry felt a bit of heat in his cheeks, but he was sure it was just because it was warm in the shops. It wasn't as if Louis complimenting him would make him blush.

"Yeah?" He asked, voice coming out a bit squeakier than he had expected.

"Yeah." Louis replied, and his voice sounded a little deeper than Harry remembered, and...was he smirking?

Louis finally finished his food and they both got up, throwing away their plates, and then Harry was following Louis to the tuxedo shop.

Louis looked around, hand on his chin, thinking hard. Harry's eyes roamed over row after row of tuxes that all looked the same to him.

"This one for you, Styles." He held one out, and Harry took it, going to try it on.

He slipped it on and buttoned it up, and he felt ridiculous. Couldn't he just wear his skinny jeans and a nice shirt?

He stepped out of the small changing room and Louis was standing there waiting, "Spin." He instructed.

Harry did a small spin, stopping and looking at Louis, silently asking him what he thought.

"I knew I'd be right. You look great, Harry." Louis nodded once. "I'd shag you."

There was an awkward silence.

"If, um. If I were Caroline." He amended. "She'll feel like an absolute idiot once she sees you on prom night, yeah?"

"I sure hope so." Harry said.

"I don't think you need to try any others on. Just buy that one." Louis told him. "I'm going to try on a few, alright?"

"Sure." Harry said.

As he walked back into the changing room, he could swear he saw a blush on Louis' cheeks. But it was probably just the lighting in the shop, right?

He walked up to the counter and bought his suit, wincing at just how expensive it was, and then waiting for Louis, who bought his own suit, and his cost even more than Harry's, but he acted as if it was nothing.

He obviously spent a lot of money on his appearance.

And it was worth it, Harry thought, as he looked at the perfect fit of Louis' trousers 'round his bum.

000

Harry spent the next week texting Louis on and off, but ultimately making plans to find the best party to go to. He had a couple friends going to a couple different ones, but he ended up picking the one he knew for certain that Caroline would not be at, not in the mood for rejection this weekend.

He got himself nice and drunk and found a girl standing in a corner. He didn't recognize her, so she must have been from another school.

"Hey." He said. "What's your name?"

"Misty." She told him. "And you're Harry, yeah?"

"My reputation precedes me." He smiled.

"Mhhm." She nodded, batting her eyelashes at him.

After that it wasn't long until they'd stumbled into someone's bedroom, and if for a split second (or maybe the whole time, Harry couldn't really be sure) while Misty was sucking him off, Harry's mind traveled to Louis, well, no one needed to know. He wouldn't even remember in the morning, so why fret over it?

000

Prom weekend arrived faster than Harry had realized, and he was dressed in his tux, waiting outside when Louis pulled up in front of his house at seven forty five, picking him up just in time to get to prom at eight.

He'd styled his hair differently than usual, his fringe now up in a rather nice quiff, and Harry had to stop himself from letting his jaw drop just a bit.

"You look nice." He told him.

"As do you, Harry." Louis smiled awkwardly.

"Told mum no pictures." Harry said. "Let's go before she tries anyway."

Louis laughed, and Harry smiled, because Louis' laugh was really nice, and he really wished they'd become friends sooner.

They drove along, and Harry kept his gaze focused out the window rather than on Louis.

They arrived, and they both got out of the car, walking into the school and into the gymnasium, and Harry wondered why they had to be the only school that didn't rent a place out for prom, because honestly, it was gross in here.

The music was fast and had a good beat, and Harry and Louis flung themselves into a large group of dancing teens, moving their bodies along to the music. Harry glanced at Louis, taking in his pitiful dance moves and let out a loud chortle.

"What's funny?"

"Just your dance moves." Harry grinned, trying not to laugh again.

"Have you seen yourself lately?"

Harry's jaw dropped, and then he realized that he never actually had seen himself dance. He'd only ever assumed he was good, "Guess not." He shrugged.

"You're shit at it, mate."

"Thanks for the confidence boost there, Tomlinson."

"Just doing my job." Louis winked, and Harry's heart did an odd little flip in his chest.

They danced and drank punch and chatted with friends for a good hour or so, and then the first slow song of the night came on.

"Um." Louis began. "Since you're, um. Since we're here together, did you want to...?" He trailed off.

Harry swallowed hard, "Yeah, sure. Why not?"

And this was totally normal, really. Just two heterosexual, male friends dancing at prom, because they'd been assigned to go together. Nothing more than that, of course, even if the strange feeling in Harry's gut was insisting otherwise.

Louis took his hand, and he felt a few strange sparks fly up through his nerves.

They ended up near the edge of the dance floor, Louis wrapped his arms around Harry's neck, and so Harry settled his hands on Louis' waist.

They started off looking around them. Taking in everyone else dancing with their dates, and Harry noticed that nearly everyone looked content, maybe even happy. He let his eyes flicker to Louis' and noticed just how blue they really were, standing so close to him in the dimly lit gym.

"You look really good in suits, Harry." Louis said softly. "I know you don't like them, but if you want to get Caroline, I think you should-"

Harry cut him off, the mention of Caroline putting him off for a moment, "Let's not..." He began. "Let's not talk about her."

"Still bummed you got stuck with me then?" Louis asked, sounding almost nervous to hear the answer.

"Not so much." Harry shrugged, and Louis smiled up at him, and his eyes crinkled, and Harry smiled back.

Louis began playing with the soft curls at the base of Harry's neck, and Harry kept his gaze locked on Louis, and for the first time since they'd met, he let himself evaluate his feelings. Truly evaluate them, and not evaluate them from the point of view of someone who'd known he was straight his whole life and wanted to stay that way.

He let himself think about how he really liked to look at Louis' bum, and maybe now, with his hands on his waist, he'd really like to slip them a little lower and maybe touch Louis' bum. And he thought about the way his stomach was churning right now, but it felt almost pleasant. And he thought about how whenever Louis texted him, he'd drop whatever he was doing just to reply. He thought about the way electricity was sparking through his body right this very moment, just being so close to Louis. He thought about how Louis was looking up at him with those bright blue eyes, a questioning look residing there, and he thought about how much he wanted to kiss Louis, and-...

Wait.

He wanted to kiss Louis?

Louis blinked at him, tilting his head to the side, and yeah, he definitely wanted to kiss Louis.

He leaned in just a little and heard Louis' breath hitch, and so he leaned in a little more, and Louis didn't pull away. And so he leaned in a bit more, and then their mouths were touching. Carefully at first. Almost as if they were afraid the other would break if they slotted their lips together too hard. But at the feel of Louis' soft, warm lips against his, something in Harry snapped. He gripped Louis' hips a little tighter, pushing his mouth into Louis' more firmly, sucking Louis' bottom lip into his mouth and biting on it gently, pulling back quickly, feeling slightly terrified.

"Louis, I'm sorry." He said, shaking his head. "I don't know why I-"

"Harry." Louis said, placing a finger to Harry's lips, and Harry had thought that only happened in movies. "It's okay. I...I wanted you to."

"You did?"

Louis nodded, biting his lip shyly, "I never....I wasn't...I'm not...."

"Lou." Harry said, rubbing little circles into Louis' hips with his thumbs. "Just...Say whatever you're trying to say. Whatever it is, it's fine."

Louis took a deep breath, closing his eyes as he exhaled and then opening them slowly, "I've never even considered that I might be...gay. And I still don't think that I am gay, really. But whatever I am I just know that over the past month I've developed some feelings for you." He bit his lip again, thinking, and Harry knew he wasn't done speaking. "And they're not just friendly feelings, Harry. I kept telling myself they were, but..."

"I feel the same way." Harry said quietly, and the slow song ended, a rather loud, fast one starting up, but neither of them really seemed to notice. "I kept telling myself that it'd be silly to like you, because obviously you're not a girl, and I definitely like girls. But I guess...Maybe I like boys, too? Or maybe it's just you. All I know is that kissing you was really nice and I'd like to do it again, and I'd like to stay friends with you after tonight, and maybe we could even be more than that, if you wanted. I don't know. It's up to you, really. I'm up for whatever. If you-"

"Harry." Louis cut him off. "You're babbling now, and it was cute for a second but I'd like to get a word in."

Harry pressed his lips together, nodding slowly and looking at Louis.

"D'you...You said you're up for anything, yeah?"

Harry nodded again.

"Does that include getting a hotel room?"

Harry nodded again, with much more vigor than before, "Yeah, I'd like that." He said softly.

000

Harry figured they had a bit to talk about, but as Louis tugged on his hair and sucked on his neck, causing him to let out tiny little whimpers and moans, he figured any talks could wait.

And as Louis pushed him up against the door, he realized that any question about who would be doing what tonight was answered, because Louis had full control over him, and there was no way he would want to change that. Not tonight, at least.

And as they shucked each other's clothes off, nothing felt uncomfortable, nothing felt awkward. Nothing felt any different from all the times he'd been with a girl, aside from the cock pressing into his thigh.

And as Louis pushed him down on the bed, Harry let out a small gasp and let Louis crawl on top of him, closing his eyes as Louis kissed all down his chest.

And as Louis pushed a finger inside him, and then two and then three, Harry thought it was strange, because it didn't feel all that foreign. It felt almost as if they belonged like this.

And as Louis slowly pushed forward, shoving his hard length into Harry's tight hole, Harry's eyes rolled back in his head a bit, and he and Louis both groaned, Harry's fists clenching in the sheets.

And after a good long while, when they both reached their climaxes together, Harry decided that maybe he was wrong about being too young for a long term relationship. Maybe all he needed wasn't a good shag whenever he wanted it.

Because lying here now, with Louis wrapped in his arms as they both drifted off to sleep, Harry was feeling something he'd never felt after sex with anyone else.

He was feeling the intense need to hold Louis and keep him safe and warm and kiss his neck and wake up next to him whenever he got the chance to for the rest of his life.

And so that was exactly what he did.


End file.
